Category: Family Vacation

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A Magical Kingdom for New Years

For those of you who have been waiting patiently, we are back. After a hiatus from personal travel plans in order to focus on family events, like Parents’ Weekend at UK, Thanksgiving and Christmas, the Traveling Igoes finally got back on the road. Since our kids’ new schools all have different Fall breaks, we were unable to take the usual fall trip. To supplement, we took a trip over the Christmas break, New Years in particular. It is a busy time to travel, but we had a great experience and will likely continue it for at leas the near future.

This year, we jetted from New Orleans to southern California and took on Disneyland and Joshua Tree NP. For the purposes of the blog, I am going to break the trip into three posts, so for all two of you that are following along, you’re welcome.

We left Louisiana in the evening on New Years Eve and made it to our hotel in Disneyland (Frontier Tower of the Disneyland Hotel) at about 7 pm. We had reservation at Goofy’s Kitchen for 8:30, hoping that would give us enough time to get settled and to dinner (which it did).

We made a reservation, but it was still kind of first come, first serve anyway. It’s hard to explain; it is worth it to make the reservation in advance, but you should still be prepared to wait. The food at Goofy’s is served buffet style (except the beer) and is actually pretty good (for a buffet). From pizza to chicken to pasta to desserts, we all found something we wanted to eat, and at these prices, you’ll want to go back for as many servings as you can stomach. For five of us, including tip, it was almost $500, but you’ve got to go into a Disney trip knowing that you’ll be taking a hit.

The best part of Goofy’s Kitchen was watching our five year old interact with the characters. She is just the right age and was hilarious telling Pluto that he is a good boy and telling Minnie that she will keep this day in her heart forever. Yeah, it cost a shit-ton of for basically cafeteria food, but seeing Clara’s reactions was worth (almost) every penny.

I am not going to delve too much deeper into the food. The rest of the days in the park, we pretty much just ate on the go. My eldest discovered (via TikTok) that the best way to maximize your ride time is to order food online through the Disneyland App so that there is no waiting, and she was right. The food in the parks is still expensive, but much less so than the actual ‘formal’ restaurants.

Now to the important part, the rides. For this entry, we’ll focus on just the rides in Magic Kingdom. On our first day, this was our stop. We went early, as this park rotates with California Adventure as to which opens half an hour earlier. We got in line in time to rope drop, which probably got us one or two extra rides. We also purchased the upgraded Lightning Lane tickets, which allows you to skip (most of) the line for certain rides once/day.

One suggestion I make before we dive into the rides is that you figure out how to stack your Lightning Lanes. It is basically, starting with one, then pushing it all the way back to the end of your day, then filling in the afternoon as your day goes. If you’re interested, I suggest you have your teen watch several TikToks about it and handle it for you. Now, for what we rode:

Space Mountain: We hit this first, right after rope drop, and were lucky enough to be able to ride it again later in the day. What an awesome roller coaster! It is smooth, fast and fun. Most of us, including the five year old, thought it was the best ride of the day. The older kids, who stayed until close, rode it a third time. Go early though, and check often, as this line can get over two hours long.

Dumbo: This is the classic Disney attraction. It is not all that thrilling, but the lines are not usually terrible, Clara loved it, and even the older kids had a good time.

Jungle Cruise: I love the Jungle Cruise. This 8 minute ride that usually comes with a 30 minute wait is probably only worth doing once, but it is fun to cruise around, see the animatronics and listen to the guide’s non-sense.

Pirates of the Caribbean: This is another classic that didn’t fail to deliver. The big kids rode it twice, since they stayed late, but we all loved it. Clara was a little scared, but at the end, she said she had a great time. This is another one to get to early, as the lines get super long.

Haunted Mansion: We were there for the Christmas theme, which is A Nightmare Before Christmas, which is not actually as fun as the classic theme, but it was still a good time. The animations are great. This line gets long, but not quite as quickly, so prioritize it for the morning, but after rides like Space Mountain and Pirates.

Indiana Jones: This was the one ride in Magic Kingdom for which Clara was too short (48 inches), so Alyson and the big kids rode, and loved it. Again, go and wait in the morning, then Lightning Lane in the afternoon. While Clara and I waited, we played around the Swiss Family Treehouse. It’s actually not called that anymore, but it was very age appropriate.

Big Thunder Mountain: This is a classic that we did not get to in the morning, but Lightning Lane’d at night. It’s bumpy, but a lot of fun. At nighttime, it is really cool; you get a great view of the entire park lit up.

It’s a Small World: This might be an unpopular opinion, but I think I hate this ride. You wait in line interminably to listen the same fucking song thirteen times in a row. I know it’s a classic, but I could certainly live without it. The best part of Small World is when they light up the outside at night.

Tiana’s Bayou: Absolutely awesome! This is the reworking of Splash Mountain, and it is fantastic. The ride itself is a lot of fun (but prepare to get wet), and Disney has done a great integrating the Princess and Frog theme. This is another one to ride early, then stack a Lightning Lane for the afternoon.

Peter Pan: This is another classic that always has a long line and cannot be Lightning Lane’d. Walt said this was his favorite ride, which perhaps is why the line always 45 minutes-plus, but it is worth it, if only for nostalgia purposes.

Winnie-the-Pooh: This is a fun, filler ride, especially for the little ones. It’s a great one to knock out while you are waiting for your next Lightning Lane to come up.

Mad Tea Party: This is another good filler ride that usually has short lines. I made the point that if we were going to skip anything, it out to be the tea cups, as they are not unique to Disney, but I lost that argument.

King Arthur Carousel: Cut and paste Tea Party comments.

Autopia: This is a fun one. The line is usually long, but not so long that you’d want the Lightning it. The younger kids think they are actually driving, even though there is little one can do to actually control the cars other than take one’s foot on and off the gas.

Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters: This is one of the interactive rides where the car comes with two ‘blasters’ that you can use to rack up points shooting aliens. I believe we used a Lightning Lane for this in the late morning after we had stacked all the big rides for the PM.

Casey Jr. Circus Train: This was the last ride Alyson, Clara and I did, at around 9 pm, after they had closed off some rides for the parade. It is definitely geared towards the little ones (JR and Eileen) never rode it, but it could be a good filler ride depending on wait times. I think it’s really cute, and the mini-Disney landscape it traverses is quite well done.

Storybook Land Canal Boats: This boat ride basically traverses the same route as the above train, but it is well done and great for little kids, or great as a filler between the big rides.

Matterhorn: This is another one that we Lightning Lane’d in the PM, and that the big kids did again after 10 pm. The ride is a lot of fun. It was a little bumpy for Clara, but she powered through, and it also gives great views of the park lit up at night.

Smuggler’s Run: This is a new ride in the Star Wars area, which is really a cool part of the park. This ride is not as busy as it’s counterpart mentioned below, so you should to try to hop on when you can. It’s fun, but might not blow your mind like Rise.

Rise of Resistance: This is currently the ride in Magic Kingdom that usually has the longest lines. It can be Lightning Lane’d, but only if you pay $15-$35/person. This will likely change once it is not so new, but as of now, you can try to get there early, but it opens half an hour later than the rest of the park, wait 90 minutes (at least) or pay. We pulled the trigger and paid. It was worth it.

Pinocchio: This is a good filler ride, as the line moves fast, but it is kind of creepy. Clara was holding tight to an adult the whole time.

Roger Rabbit: This was by far the worst experience of our whole trip. The ride is ok, but the line was interminable. It wasn’t all that long, but it barely moved. If I could have that hour of my life back, I’d take it.

Star Wars: The Adventure Continues: This is an older Star Wars ride in a different area. It is not that great, but it is right by Space Mountain, so if you can hit that early, then get straight on this one, you’ve knocked out two rides in quick fashion.

We didn’t make it to Mr. Toad, as when we went, it was closed due to the parade. Something to keep in mind in the later evening. We also never made it on Alice in Wonderland, as it was shut down all day. Astro Orbitor also never made the list, but it is basically the same thing as Dumbo. We did catch fireworks at 9:30, then Alyson and I put Clara to bed while JR and Eileen cruised the park, hitting about 4 rides/hour in the last minutes before close.

I feel like we did everything we could to maximize our one day, and I don’t really feel like we missed out. Starting early and stacking Lightning Lanes seems to be the way to go, and this was a busy time of year. If you do the research and have a good outline as to your plans for the day, you should be able to get to every ride you want, and several rides more than once.

Next stop, California Adventure.

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Sleeping with a Bear

This year, for the annual Igoe Family Vacation, we met up with my parents and brothers in Arcadia, Michigan, which is about an hour south of Traverse City and in the general Sleeping Bear Dunes area. Michigan is always a relaxing trip, and there is a lot to do, but it does include a lot of driving. It is worth it though, the temperatures are moderate and there’s a lot to do.

What We Did

Sleeping Bear Dunes: This National Lakeshore offers a plethora of activities. Of places that we have visited recently, this one felt the most like it could or should be a National Park, not just a Lakeshore. There are lots of trails, lots of dunes, lots of lakes and a few associated satellite areas.

The first thing we did was take the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive and stopped at marker #4 and hiked the Cottonwood Trail. This 1.5 mile lollipop loop takes you to the top of the large dune that’s part of the dune challenge without having to hike up it. The view point at the top is great, and it is doable for those less physically able to climb a vertical sand dune. We recommend taking the loop clockwise, and also recommend stopping at markers 3, 9 and 11, if you’ve got the time.

Later on, we walked the Empire Bluffs Trail, which offers great views of Lake Michigan and several surrounding lakes. It is an easy, 1.6 mile out-and-back. Honestly, it is not spectacular, but it was worth the drive.

Our favorite trail was Pyramid Point. This loop is just under 3 miles and offers a great variety of scenery: dunes, woods, meadows and lakes. It is not very strenuous if you go clockwise. That said, the best lake views are at the beginning, but you go down all the steep dunes climbs, instead of up.

Speaking of, we also recommend the Dune Climb. This steep dune is the start to the Dune Challenge, which we did not do, but is a fun trek in and of itself. The kids really enjoyed rolling around and getting all sandy.

Boat Glen Lake: We booked a pontoon boat that could hold 14 from the On the Narrows Marina. We spent four hours cruising around Big Glen and Little Glen, tubing and swimming at several different spots. It made for a really fun day that all the kids loved.

Swim at Crystal Lake: There is a great public beach with amenities in the Beulah area of Crystal Lake. The waters is chilly, but not so much as Lake Michigan. The big lake is almost too cold to swim, but the interior lakes are bit more moderate.

Tube the Platte River: We used Crystal Lake Outfitters to tube the Platte River, and we did the longer version, which took about 3 hours from arrival to leaving. The Platte River is great to float, and the outfitter was competent, but it did feel like it took a long time to get started.

Craig’s Cruisers: On morning, we went south towards Shelby, MI, where some of my family used to attend camp. On the way, the kids, Alyson and I stopped at Craig’s Cruisers. They’ve got go-karts, bumper boats, mini-golf, a zip line, a roller coaster and an arcade. The kids had a blast, and it was a lot less expensive than you expect those activities to be.

Mac Woods Dune Rides: Also south of Aracadia, this dune tour was way more fun than I thought it would be. It opens at 9:30, but we didn’t get there until about 2 pm, which was a mistake. The had to wait over an hour for the 40 minute ride, but it was totally worth it. You might think it’s not that exciting, since your basically in an open-air bus rather than a dune buggy, but the ride is great. There’s lots of up and downs, lots of great views and the guide was really informative.

E-Bike Tour: My son’s favorite activity was riding about 8 miles along the Leelanau Trail north of Traverse City. I was a little unsure as to whether or not I’d enjoy an e-bike, but it was a lot of fun, and it is still good exercise.

Brewery Tours: There are dozens of breweries in the general area, and it feels like we tried to hit them all. We’ll touch base more on this in the section below.

Where We Ate

Storm Cloud Brewing: This was the closest brewery to our house, it was good, but it wasn’t our favorite. The pizza was solid, and the beer was fine, but I didn’t love the atmosphere. It felt really crowded and touristy. It was still certainly worth the visit, and I’d go back, but it wasn’t #1.

Hop Lot Brewing: I think this was my favorite brewery. It has really good beer, solid food and fantastic outdoors space that the kids loved.

Boondocks: This restaurant in Glen Arbor gets really mediocre reviews, but I thought it was just fine. We were able to sit all 13 of us outside, the fried fish sandwich was good and the beer was cold.

Cherry Point Farm Market: This farmers market reportedly has good sandwiches, but I could not disagree more. The entire experience was terrible, including the service and the food. It is basically just a grilled cheese restaurant, but it takes forever, and it costs way too much.

North Channel Brewing: This brewery was a great place to stop on our back north from the dune rides. They were friendly, had good beer and had a pretzel, about which Jr was over the moon.

St. Ambrose Cellars/Brose Brewing: This stop actually started out as place that brews meads but has expanded, including beers and food. The mead was really interesting, and the outdoor space is wonderful. You can even get a close look at a commercial beehive, if so include.

Where We Stayed:

This year, we stayed at an AirBNB in Arcadia, Michigan, which is about half an hour south of Sleeping Bear and an hour south of Traverse City. The house was great, and right on Lake Michigan, but it was a trek to get to just about everywhere. Given the choice, I think we would stay in either Empire or Traverse City itself in the future.

This is the first time in quite some time that we don’t actually have anything planned. We’ll be meeting some friends in Gulf Shores for Labor Day and visiting St. Louis for Thanksgiving, but those are old hat. With Eileen starting at UK in the fall, and JR starting high school, our calendar is in limbo. We might try to take a short weekend to see a ball game, maybe somewhere like Pittsburgh. We also are considering a Christmas break trip, maybe someplace to the south. We’ll keep traveling and will keep you posted; thanks for listening.

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EuroTrip 2025

If you’ve been following along, you know that for our daughter’s high school graduation, we took the whole family across the pond for a road trip through Europe. We hit Italy, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia, and all were fantastic. If you want more details about the trip itself, please reference our three previous posts. This post is really going to speak more about what we learned, what surprised us and what we found out along the way.

Currency: Prior to heading over, we exchanged $615 for 500 Euros. I thought we would need more cash in some of the smaller towns, but we really didn’t, It was nice to have the cash, and since we had it, we used it, but we could have gone with less. That said, we didn’t have to pay any foreign transaction fees when we payed with Euros. Something else to keep in mind is that tipping is a relatively American creation. Eating out is a lot less expensive when you don’t have to add 15 to 25%.

Credit Card Fees: Unless you have a certain type of credit card, expect to pay foreign transactions fees on almost everything purchase you make. At the hotels, we put charges on our room, to minimize the fees, but there is only so much you can do.

Language Barrier: In Italy, almost everyone spoke English, if not fluently. This was not the case in Austria, Slovenia or Croatia. We never really struggled to communicate, as generally speaking, someone spoke English, but it was far more ubiquitous in Italy. If you’re linguistically gifted, you can download several languages on Google Translate, which will even pronounce most words for you. We had very little difficulty communicating, overall.

International Flights with Kids: Our kids are great at traveling, but an 8+ hour flight is a long one. British Airways does offer free drinks and food, so that’s something. About an hour into both the flight there and back, we gave the two younger kids melatonin gummies. I am not giving any type of medical advice, but this knocked them both out within minutes.

Driving: This was one of the more nerve-wracking parts of the trip, going in. It turned out not to be too bad. Much of the time, we were on smaller highways but had very little difficulty. It is worth keeping in mind that traffic, especially in Italy and Slovenia, can get really backed up. We used Google Maps, which allows one to download directions in advance. We also used Apple Maps from time-to-time, which was helpful. Waze is not nearly as helpful in Europe as it is in the U.S.

International Driving Permit: We got one of these from AAA prior to going. It only cost about $20, but I am not sure we needed it. No one asked for it, neither at the rental car pick up or any border crossings. Had we gotten into an accident or been pulled over, perhaps it would have been necessary.

Driving Vignettes: If you look online at the requirements needed to drive in countries like Slovenia and Croatia, you’ll get info stating that you need something called Vignettes in place of having to pay tolls. This was honestly not super clear. We bought one at a gas station after crossing into Slovenia, for like 10 euros, and got another for Croatia online. No one ever asked for them, but again, we weren’t really stopped, so it’s hard to say how necessary they are.

Border Crossings: We weren’t stopped at a single border crossing, as all the countries were visited are EU members. We did consider a quick hop into Bosnia and Herzegovina, but that is not a member country, and we were worried it would be too much of a hassle or that they might not actually let us in.

ETAs/ETIAS: Whilst researching our trip, we came across info that stated we would need Electronic Transit Authorizations for several areas in Europe. This is not yet the case, but evidently, will be in the future. Do not buy one from a third party website, like I did. There are already fake sites available, so be careful.

Housing: We found AirBNBs a lot easier than hotels. Europeans can be very fickle about the number of people staying in a room, so renting from individuals was easier. We were even quite late for several check-ins, but all of the hosts were very accommodating.

Our trip was amazing and exhausting, and I hope that it created great memories for our kids. We actually have plans to return to Europe next year for a river cruise out of Germany, but until then, we’ll be back to exploring our local 50.

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Croatia (Eurotrip Leg 3)

For the third and final leg of our European adventure, we moved south out of Slovenia and into the country that I had been anticipating the most, Croatia. Croatia has recently blown up as a tourist destination and is more able to handle it than was Slovenia, but it was still crowded. Compared to Italy, much like Slovenia, it was very affordable.

Most who visit Croatia go for the Mediterranean beaches, which are beautiful, but that was not our target. We did hit up Split for a few hours, but the majority of our time was spent visiting two of the most spectacular National Parks I have ever seen.

What We Did

Plitvice National Park: If you Google Croatia, images from Plitvice are some of the most frequent you will find. When traveling like this, it is always a worry that the real thing won’t live up to the social media hype. I was pleasantly surprised. I can safely say that Plitvice is one of the most spectacular places I have ever been, if not the most.

Plitvice is a waterfall lovers paradise. It is simply one spectacular fall after another, with beautiful greenery and strikingly blue lakes in between. We bought tickets in advance and arrived early, both a must, and set out from Entrance 1 (the north entrance) following the signs for Program C.

Program C is 3+ miles long, and kind of uphill, but the trek is mostly along well developed boardwalks. About halfway in, you’ll get to spot where you can either go left and walk around a lake or go right and take a boat. We went right and took the boat, but we had to wait over half an hour for the boat.

At the end, we took a shuttle back, but if we had more time, I would have wanted to walk back. It would have been another 3 or so miles, but would have been mostly downhill, and we’d have gotten to see everything again.

This park can definitely be done in less than a full day, but I could probably have spent a week there. Several of the features are closed, and don’t appear likely to re-open anytime soon, including the caves and the hike up to the Veliki Slap Viewpoint. You can drive to this locale, however, using the coordinates 44°54’9″ N 15°36’27” E.

If you get there early, you will have company, but for us, it was not terribly crowded. It is really hard to describe how wonderful is Plitvice; I should simply say that if you’re in the area, it should not be missed. If you are pressed for time, go north to south. Going the opposite direction will have you looking over your shoulder the whole time.

Krka National Park: Only slightly less amazing is Krka, the more southern of the two water wonderlands. Whilst Krka is not as vast as Plitvice, it has some equally spectacular areas and is more spread out.

Since we had our own car, we entered through the Lozovac entrance. To find this, just go to the city of Lozovac and follow the signs. This option allows you to bus or walk in, whereas the Skradin entrance requires a boat. The boat might actually be easier but allows far less flexibility.

At the Lozovac entrance, we took the bus, about a 10 minute ride in. At the bus stop, there are plenty of restrooms and restaurants. They were not open when we arrived at 8 (get there early), but they were on our way out. When we arrived, it was not crowded at all, but it was by the time we left this area.

From this entrance, we visited one of three major parts of the park, the Skradinski Slap. There is a great, mile or so hike that takes you through the park to a breathtaking view of the falls. It is not like Plitvice, where there are waterfalls everywhere, but the payoff is about as unreal as it gets. We hit all three major parts of the park, and I definitely recommend doing this one first, as it gets the most crowded.

Next, we drove up to Roski Slap, another beautiful but less grand waterfall. In this area, there are a few cute restaurants where you can sit and have a beer under a waterfall. I definitely recommend this. There is also a very strenuous hike of over 100 stairs up to a cave that claims tenants back over 5,000 years. The cave is cool, but the hike is really tough. That said, the view of Roski Slap from above is far more impressive than below, and totally worth it.

The last portion we visited was Visovac Island. Rather than take the boat from Skradin, which can be round trip upwards of four hours, we drove and parked at Stinice, which has a ferry every hour, a ferry that takes only a few minutes. We spent an hour touring the island, which is home to an active monastery. This was a great part of the trip and wonderful way to end our time in Krka.

Split: Even though we didn’t stay in Split, we did take an afternoon to drive in and check out the coastal town. It is very touristy, but also charming in a way very similar to Venice. It is a very old, winding city, and we had a great time exploring and grabbing dinner. If you’ve got the time, I would try not to miss it.

Zagreb: We stayed the capital city of Croatia on our last night. We didn’t have a ton of time there, but we did walk around the downtown area and had a very nice dinner. I can’t really give a great recommendation about it one way or the other, but I enjoyed it far more than I did Ljubljana. It looks like a city moving in the right direction.

Where We Stayed

We spent two nights in Croatia, in two different AirBNBs. Both were very accommodating and both far less expensive than would have been hotel rooms for the five of us. The locations were also only a few minutes drive from the two National Parks.

Where We Ate

Vila Velebita: On the way out of Plitvice, there are plenty of restaurants, we were lucky enough to pick this one. They have a great menu available in multiple languages. We were able to sit outside and have what felt like a very authentically Croatian meal.

Al Dente: This was a very versatile restaurant in Zagreb that had a great menu and great outdoor seating. It is in a really cool location downtown and felt very vibrant.

Croatia was the last leg and to me, most spectacular part of our trip. I know that Eileen and Alyson probably enjoyed Italy more, but I have fallen hard. I am not a fan of visiting places more than once, but if anyone ever wanted to go back, I’d be on the next plane over.

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Lake Bled (EuroTrip Stop 2)

The second leg of our European road trip took us from Northern Italy, through Austria, and into Slovenia. We could have gone straight from Italy into Slovenia, but why not tick Austria off the list. I understand what you’re saying, driving through Austria for a few hours might not really give one the full experience, but we stopped in Villach for about an hour and had a nice pretzel and beer (Charles IM Palais).

From there, we made our way to an AirBNB in Piškovca, just outside of the Lake Bled area. It appears that Slovenia is about to blow up, tourism-wise, similar to the current situation in Croatia, and deservedly so. The area is beautiful, accessible and inexpensive. That said, they are not all that well set up for the volume of people that are coming, and the amount of English spoken is still limited.

Lake Bled seems to be the nexus of the tourism boom in Slovenia, and there are a couple of things to keep in mind. Again, the English is limited, and so is the parking. When we first got to Bled, we spent at least 30 minutes driving around searching. We eventually found the Central Parking lot, which is walking distance to Bled, but it was frustrating. You may also find yourself frustrated that some of the things you want to do will be first come, first serve, and at the pleasure of the locals. A lot can be booked online, but a lot can’t.

Our two days in Slovenia were packed, and they were spectacular. We saw some great things, ate great food and met a lot of cool people. If you’re going this direction, don’t skip this former Yugoslavian state.

What We Did

Vingtar Gorge: When you look up Slovenia on social media, this is one of the first things that will come up. Similar to Watkins Glen, the Gorge is a 1.5 mile cavernous hike along boardwalks that crisscross the Radovna River. It is nothing short of spectacular. The water is a color rarely seen in nature, and the way it has been developed will take your breath away.

Tickets can be purchased in advance, and there is a satellite parking lot that offers free shuttles. I think if you get there early enough, you can park at the actual entrance, but I am not certain. We got to the satellite lot at 8 am and were able to get on the second bus (it should have been the first, but we got screwed).

I do recommend arriving early. For us, the walk was great, but there are a lot of tour groups, and boardwalks can get clogged. I understand that later in the day, it can feel like a bit of a conveyor belt.

Something else to keep in mind is that it’s only a 1.5 mile walk along the river, but it is one way, so you have to get back, either along the River of Trees or the King of Triglav trails. The River of Trees is shorter, and reportedly less scenic. King of Triglav was long and kind of strenuous (and at one point, we thought we were lost), but there are some really nice panoramic views of the area. If I could do it again, I’d take the River of Trees.

Raft the Sava River: Our AirBNB was actually right at the put-in for the rafting outfitters in the Bled area. Our first afternoon there, we took about a three hour total tour with Sava Rafting. The guides are great and a lot of fun with the kids. The river is great, too, with several significant rapids.

Our boat stayed fully intact, but another boat in our group, filled with 20-something Brits, flipped twice. The river is in no way dangerous, or anymore so than any other, but there were definitely some exciting rapids along the scenic route. Our four year old loved it.

Lake Bled: Our second day in Slovenia, we spent time on Lake Bled itself. We had figured out parking, so went to the lake to find a Pletna boat. These are hand-rowed boats that will take you our to Bled Island, evidently the only island in Slovenia.

The ride is fun, but monotonous. After the first few minutes, it’s pretty much the same thing over and over again. I recommend going to the area called ‘PLETNA TO THE ISLAND BLED’ which you can find on your phone. This one is very close to the island, and, at least when we were there, more punctual. We went to a different area, and the guy showed up 45 minutes late and took quite some time getting us there

The island itself is pretty cool. There’s a church with a wishing bell, a museum and a clock tower. It wasn’t my favorite part of our trip, but it is worth doing.

Ljubljana: We made an unplanned stop in the capital of Slovenia, due to some terrible traffic issues. We basically walked around the old parts of the city and got lunch. Frankly, it was my least favorite part of our trip, but it is probably not fair the the Slovenian’s. Had we planned something and not eaten at a tourist trap, we probably would have had a better experience.

Postojna Cave: This was another unplanned stop on our way our of Slovenia, one that I enjoyed much more. The cave tour starts and ends on a train, which is a lot of fun, and the cave has all the classics you could hope want (including what they call a live dragon). Tickets can be purchased ahead of time online and bring a jacket.

Where We Stayed

Piškovca: We staying in an AirBNB just outside of Bled, which was great, as it gave us easy access to the city but was outside of the tourist areas.

Where We Ate

Gostilna Kurej: This is clearly a favorite of locals that was near our AirBNB and was one of the top two meals I had all trip. It was very authentically Slovenian, the food was spectacular and the service couldn’t have been better.

Spica: This is definitely a touristy spot right on Lake Bled. The food was good, and the view was great, but it wasn’t spectacular.

Kavarna Park: This is another touristy spot on Lake Bled, but the view from the balcony is great. The food was fine, but this is where we got our first (and only) taste of Bled Cake. I don’t think it’s actually all that great, but if you’re in Slovenia, you’ve got to try it.

Slovenia was a great stop on our European road trip and really made it feel unique. Vintgar Gorge was definitely one of the top three places we visited, and it feels like it is still off the beaten path. The next and last destination of our trip took us south into Westeros, I mean Croatia.

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Venezia e le Dolomiti

This year, my eldest graduate from high school (a remarkable accomplishment completed by almost everyone). To celebrate, we decided to trade states for countries and set off on a road trip through Europe.

For the purposes of keeping this readable, I am going to break our trip into three different legs, the first of which began in Venice. We flew out of New Orleans on BA at almost 10 pm, landing the next day in London, and then the next night in Venice. This gave us two and half days to spend in Italy before we headed to out next stop, Slovenia.

What We Did:

St. Mark’s Basilica: We got into Venice early on Sunday. We drove in and parked at one of the lots right across the bridge from the mainland. St. Mark’s has a 10:00 AM service, which we attended. It is definitely High Mass, and my Italian was lacking, but it was a cool experience. The church is stunning, but it is not as restored as you might think. It feels like they are letting time run its course, whereas in the US, it feels like things would be brighter.

A few things to keep in mind. First, if you plan to get there for Church, get there early as it fills up fast. Second, you have to have your knees and shoulders covered. I thought Eileen was fine, but the attendant made her wrap a raincoat around her legs. It seemed very subjective, but it is something about which you should be aware. It is definitely worth it, if you get the chance.

Doge Palace: Our next stop was the Doge Palace, the traditional ruling seat of the Venetian government. We bought skip-the-line passes ahead of time, which is definitely the way to go. The Palace is cool, especially the upstairs, where there are multiple rooms covered with great artwork. The attached prison, including The Bridge of Sighs, is also a must-see. The Palace was a great experience, but if we’d missed it, I wouldn’t be losing any sleep.

Gondola Ride: You’d be crazy to go to Venice and not ride a Gondola. We booked ours ahead of time on Get Your Guide, which made things easy. It was fun, but it was also hot as can be, and it gets a bit monotonous.

Lago di Braies: This was our first stop in the Dolomites, the Italian portion of the Alps. You worry that stuff you see online won’t live up to the photos, but Lago di Braies did not disappoint. Get there early to get parking, get the row boat and spend an hour on the lake. It is beautiful, pristine and awe-inspiring. As you row around the lake, take it all in and don’t let the vibrant colors overwhelm you. Also, don’t spend all your time taking picture; just enjoy the moments.

Ortisei: From there, we drove to Ortisei and took two cable cars up to Secada. The ride up is a lot fun, and there is a cool restaurant at the top. Beyond that, there are several trails that lead to stunning views. You can do as much or as little as you like, but getting up into the clean, crisp air feels fantastic.

Tre Cime di Lavaredo: This was my favorite part of the Dolomites. We got up early and drove the Rifugio Auronzo, which requires prepaid parking. We set out from the Rifugio, counter-clockwise, on the 5+ mile hike around the three peaks. The views are breathtaking throughout, although the hike is no joke.

There are several huts along the way where you can stop, use restrooms and even buy food but not all of them were open when we were there. You also have to make the decision as to which direction to walk. There is one really strenuous park, regardless of which way you go. Clockwise, you go down a very steep hill and have to walk up the switch backs. If you go opposite, you go down the switch backs and up a very aggressive incline. I loathe switch backs, so we did the latter, but both seemed tough.

This is one of the most spectacular hikes I have ever taken, and I cannot recommend it more strongly.

Where We Stayed

Crown Plaza East: When we landed outside of Venice, we just got a hotel room in an IHG property near the airport. It was nothing special, but the people were really nice, the on-site restaurant was good and the drinks were cold.

Falzes: In the Dolomites, we stayed in a great AirBnB in the Falzes (Pfalzen). It was a great location, near several restaurants and close enough to what we wanted to do. Keep in mind, though, that when traveling in the Dolomites, nothing is all that close together.

Where We Ate

St. Mark’s Square: On our way into Venice, we passed like 100 restaurants, but we decided to eat in St. Mark’s Square itself. The are is really cool and vibrant, but the food and prices are very touristy. I can’t even remember the name of the actual restaurant.:

Ristourante Piazzale Platzl: This was in the Falzes area, about 15 minutes from our house, and was fantastic. We got three pastas and a pizza, and everyone was thrilled. The service was great, and the wine was cheap and fresh. I do not really enjoy wine, but in Italy, it is so inexpensive and so local, it is hard to pass.

Reinzbrau: This area has as many German speakers as it does Italian, so we found a lot of German food as well. This spot was ok, but honestly, was my least favorite meal of the whole trip. Everything was fine, but it was nothing special.

This was such an amazing start to our Eurotrip, and I feel like I am under-selling it. Venice was fun to see, but the Dolomites were the real star. What a spectacular place to spend a few days. We could have stayed a week and never gotten bored.

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Buffalo Huffalo

For Easter break this year, as our eldest ditched us to go with her friends again to the beach, we decided to head to the great white north. For the past several years, we have traveled to different baseball stadiums, and this year was no different.

We left early on Friday morning and flew into Buffalo. From there we, grabbed our rental car, crossed the border and went two hours north to Toronto to watch the Blue Jays take on the Mariners.

We were not 100% certain of our timing, as the border crossing can get backed up and this stretch of interstate can be busy, so we went in with several different options as to how to spend our time. We knew that on Saturday, we would drive to Ithaca and explore the Finger Lakes, but we weren’t sure where we’d be and when…

What We Did

CN Tower: We got to Toronto over three hours prior to the game, so we checked into the hotel, then made our way towards the stadium. We were pleased to discover that CN Tower is right next to Rogers Centre. Since we didn’t know when we’d get there, we did not pre-order tickets, so we pushed it a bit time-wise, getting tickets for only 45 minutes before the ball game started.

I recommend this experience, but also recommend ordering tickets in advance if possible. Keep in mind, that if you get 6:15 tickets, that means you can get in line at 6:15. It was probably 6:35 before we actually reached the top of the tower.

According to their website, Canadian National Tower is the higher viewing platform in North America, and the view is pretty spectacular. You are right on Lake Ontario, and the 360 views of Toronto are great. That said, if you have gone to other viewing platforms, Willis Tower, Empire State Building, etc., they are all kind of the same. It was a good way to kill an hour though, and a cool experience.

Blue Jays Game: I believe this was my 16th team’s home game that I have attended, and I had a great time. The stadium itself probably falls in the middle for me. It is nothing spectacular, although the hotel is cool, and they did a great job of making it feel like a legit night game at an indoor stadium. While the stadium didn’t blow me away, the fans did. They were in line two hours prior, the stadium was packed and the fans were extremely engaged. I had a great time.

Hockey Hall of Fame: The following morning, Saturday, we went to the Hall of Fame, which does not require advanced tickets, but they are available. This was a great experience. There is a lot of interactive stuff underneath, and the original Hall where the trophies are housed is spectacular. I recommend getting there right at opening if you want to avoid long lines for interactive games. It is not quite as awe-inspiring as Cooperstown, but seeing the Cup in person gave me chills.

Niagara Falls: This was my second time seeing Niagara Falls, and there is no question that it is spectacular. The first time he saw, all JR could say was ‘whoa’. We first stopped at Niagara Brewing on the Canadian side to get lunch. The food was good, but something to keep in mind is that the Canadian side of Niagara is like Branson or Gatlinburg with a waterfall. There’s all sorts of entertainment and food options, but everything’s pretty pricey.

Since we didn’t know when we’d get there, we didn’t book a tour in advance. We walked down to the viewing area and got a few pictures, then drove to the US side. If we’d had the opportunity, I would have loved to experience the Behind the Falls Tour, but maybe next time.

The American side is far more subdued, as much of the land is a state park. The Canadian side may be better for head-on views of the falls, but the American side allows you to walk over several bridges and overlooks that go right up to several different parts of Niagara. We were able to get on the Cave of the Winds tour, which goes right to the base of the falls. This was pretty awesome.

Our timing was based around school breaks, but honestly, this is not the best time to visit Niagara. It was beautiful, but there was still lots of ice in the river, so the Maid of the Mist was not yet in service.

Taughannock State Park: We left Niagara and drove about 3 hours to Ithaca, where we stayed in a Hampton Inn. We went to Easter Mass on Sunday morning at Immaculate Conception, a lovely church with a lovely service, and then had brunch at Monks on the Commons. From there we drove to Taughannock State Park in the Finger Lakes area.

This is a smaller state park with one spectacular trail. All we did in this park was walk the Taughannock Falls Trail. It is between 1.5 and 2 miles, out-and-back, and the pay off at the end is amazing. The trail is very moderate, and the waterfall is amazing. Parking can get a bit tight, and the trail can get crowded, but it is an awesome sight.

Watkins Glen State Park: From Taughannock, we drove straight to Watkins Glen to check out another state park. Here’s another part of our trip that wasn’t planned as best as possible. At this time of year, the Gorge Trail is not always open, and on Easter Sunday of 2025, it was not (we knew this ahead of time). There are other trails you can take, including the North Rim Trail, which is what we did, but without have done the Gorge Trail, I feel like we still need to go back.

That night, we drove to another Hampton Inn, this time in Geneseo, NY. I mention this because we ate at an awesome pizza place, Mama Mia’s. They don’t serve beer, so Alyson and I walked over to Kelly’s for a quick drink. Kelly’s is weird and fun, and the pizza was amazing.

Letchworth State Park: Letchworth is often called the Grand Canyon of the East, and aside from the Blue Jays game, was our main reason for going. It was a little rainy when we went, and some trails were still closed, but we had an awesome time

We parked at Inspiration Point and walked just over a mile to the Lower Falls. The trail down to the falls might have been closed, but that wasn’t clear to us, so we took it, which I highly recommend. The Lower Falls are spectacular, and the trail is great. We hiked back up the car, and drove the Middle Falls parking lot.

The Middle Falls are also spectacular. There is a great viewing point just outside of the Glen Iris Inn. The Inn had not opened for the season yet, but because of this, we had the park mostly to ourselves.

From here, we drove to the parking lot closest to the Upper Falls. It is hard to say which is the most spectacular, but that fact that three amazing waterfalls can be found on the same river within a few miles of each other makes for a great experience.

Overall, this was an amazing trip. I think the ideal time to visit Niagara and these parks might be more around Memorial Day, but we still had a great time. If the situation was different in Washington right now, it would be worth it to suggest that these three state parks (or four, including Niagara) be put together to form a National Park. They are far more impressive than some of the NPs that we have visited, but I know that involves a lot politics.

Our next trip on the books is Eileen and I going to the Bahamas with her friends for a Father-Daughter graduation trip. I am not sure I will post about it, as I am not sure we’ll do anything other than beach and resort stuff, but we’ll see. Shortly after that, we are headed for Venice, Slovenia and Croatia, so stay tuned…

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Virgin Islands for Mardi Gras

This year, as the parades came to an end, the family and I decided head out of town and make it to one of the country’s least visited national parks, Virgin Islands National Park. Other than the Alaska parks, Hawai’i park and American Samoa, it is one of the most difficult to reach.

In order to get there, you actually have to fly into St. Thomas and then take a 30 minute ferry across to St. John’s, where the park is actually located. A few things to keep in mind, if you are planning this trip.

First, the Virgin Islands, despite being an American territory, drive on the left side of the road, but with steering wheels also on the left (don’t tell Trump). Two, even though they are an American territory, the VIs very much have the feel of a third world country, so do not expect a whole lot of amenities. Third, there is a National Park there, but if you are going, expect it to really be more of a beach trip than a traditional NP vacation.

What We Did

Ocean Surfari Snorkeling: We booked a tour with this group, who picked us up from St. John’s at around 9:30 am. My only real complaint is that they made us arrive like 45 minutes early to fill out two minutes worth of waivers, so it was a lot of unnecessary down time.

Once we were on the boat, the trip was great. Our first stop was Christmas Cove, which had several great areas to snorkel. The highlights were a family of sea turtles, the youngest of whom would surface on a regular basis, and several large sting rays. We made a second stop and honeymoon beach, which was cool to see but not that great of a snorkel location.

The guides were great, the ride was fun and they served cocktails after the snorkeling was finished. Overall, it was a really great experience.

Virgin Islands National Park: Much of St. John’s is actually part of the NP, so it is hard to identify exactly when we went in and out. The Visitors Center is in Cruz Bay, and looks like it is going to be huge, but isn’t. They only have a small gift shop and aren’t open on weekends, so be prepared. I’ll touch more on what we did in the park as I go on, but in terms of NPs, this one isn’t all that grand and impressive, it more serves to protect the natural beauty of the island.

Tree Limin’ Zip Line: On our second full day in the Virgin Islands, we actually took the ferry back to St. Thomas, the more developed island and went on a zip line tour with a great local group. There were six zips, two ladders, and they let the whole family go. Clara, 4, was technically too young, but they looked the other way and allowed her and I to go tandem. The views were beautiful, and the zips were a lot of fun.

Dockside Dinghy: This was my favorite part of our trip. On Friday morning, we rented a small dinghy from the above company and cruised through the waters, both National and non-National Park. We stopped at Hurricane Hole to swim, cruised around a bird sanctuary island and sidled up to Lime Out for lunch. You have to be willing to drive the boat yourself, but that’s not all the complex. This is also one of the only ways to get to Lime Out, where the food was great.

Paradise Point Skyride: On our way to the airport, back on St. Thomas, we had a few hours to kill, so we took a gondola up to Paradise Point. This area has great views, a gift shop and a decent restaurant. It is not worth going out of your way for, but if you’ve got time to kill, it is a fun experience.

Beaches: One of the main reasons to go to St. John’s is to hang out on the beaches. We visited Honeymoon Beach from the water, but didn’t spend a ton of time there. We spent an afternoon at Trunk Bay Beach, which is really popular and beautiful. It has all sorts of amenities, and there is an underwater snorkeling trail (although it is no different than just snorkeling). This was my son’s favorite beach, as it has the biggest waves.

Later in the week, we hit Cinnamon Beach and Maho Beach. Both offer a lot of amenities, food, drinks, bathrooms, beach rentals, but neither had waves as big as Trunk Bay. Maho was a favorite of Clara and Eileen. My favorite was Salt Pond Beach, on the other side of the island. It offers no amenities and requires a short, but kind of strenuous walk, but it is beautiful and serene

All of these beaches have very limited parking, so you either have to take a shuttle, get there early, or simply wait for something to come available.

Hikes: There are several hiking trails and ruins throughout the NP. We hit a few, but again, this isn’t really a classic hiking area. We did the Francis Bay trail and the Peace Hill trail, both of which are short but have pretty views.

Our two favorite trails were the Cinnamon Bay trail and the Rams Head trail. Both are longer and more strenuous. For Cinnamon Bay, I recommend taking the left fork of the trail up to American Hill, which is a great ruin and beautiful view. There really is no reason to hike all of Cinnamon Bay, as you just dead end at another street, but American Hill is great.

Rams Head starts at the Salt Pond beach and is an arduous walk across windswept hills and rocky beaches. It is great to combine with spending time at Salt Pond beach but should not be done in beach shoes, as we quickly discovered.

Annaberg Plantation is probably the most intact set of ruins and is worth a visit, but the Catherineberg Sugar Mill ruins were by far our favorite. They can be accessed by driving a very treacherous road, but when you reach them, it’ll likely be just you, and there is a lot to see. If you’ve got time and want to see more of the interior of the island, you shouldn’t miss it.

Where We Stayed

We booked an AirBnB in the Fish Bay area, which is on the south side of St. Johns. It had quite a nice view but was pretty rustic. There is a Westin on the island that I believe is quite nice, but it is also quite expensive. There were several AirBnB options, but you really have to pick and choose. We were happy with where we stayed, but I am not sure I would recommend it to someone with particularly high standards.

Where We Ate

Windmill Bar: This location was one of our favorites, right at the apex of the island with a great view of the sunset. That said, the food was our least favorite. It was very bland and uninspired. I should note, we ate there on Ash Wednesday, so ordered slightly different than we otherwise might have, but we definitely didn’t give up salt for lent. I would still recommend going for the views, but the food wasn’t the best.

Sea and Sun: This restaurant is part of a resort on St. Thomas; we ate there the day that we went zip lining. The restaurant primarily offers outdoor seating, right on the water where tarpons and other fishes come right up to the doc. The food was solid, and the experience was great.

Lime Out: This is a floating taco stand on the Cruz Bay side of the island. There are a few ways to get there, but none of them are easy (or cheap). Several tours stop there, and there is a water taxi available, but it won’t take kids Clara’s age. We rented a dinghy and at the end of our boating excursions stopped for lunch. You basically tie off to one of several buoys and swim over. There are seats in the water at the bar and floating lily pads to sit on. It is really unique, but what’s great is that the food is terrific. We got several different tacos and all were great.

St. John’s Brewers: This brewery is located on the island in the Mongoose Junction area. It is hard to find parking, and the area is very touristy, but the brewery is great. They’ve got multiple beer options, and the food is exactly what you’d want in terms of bar food. This was my favorite place we ate, and was a good place to get updates on college basketball tournaments.

What I Wish I’d Known

I was a little unprepared for how difficult it would be to drive on St. John’s. They drive on the left side of the road, but the steering wheels are normal. The lanes are very narrow and once you’re off the main roads, very steep. It was a lot of fun, but not super easy.

I wish I’d known that reef-safe sunscreen is not at all strong enough for the fair Igoe skin. We all burned, despite regular applications, myself by far the worst.

I wish that I’d known I was in for mostly a beach trip. I love the beach, but to me, it can become monotonous. In terms of National Parks, this one would stay low on my list. We had a lot of fun, and I would go back if someone else wanted to, but I doubt I would plan a second trip.

Next up for us is Toronto, Niagara Falls and three state parks in upstate New York. We’ll keep you posted.

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A Gay Old Thanksgiving in Dallas

This post is a bit outside of our normal nature-based adventures, but for those interested in a more urban holiday, it might be of value. This year, we went with my wife’s family to the Gaylord in Grapevine, TX, which is north east of Dallas.

We did something similar in Austin, two years prior, at Kalahari, and having now done a ‘resort’-based holiday twice now, I believe that I have a better perspective. The general consensus was that the Gaylord experience was far superior. It is not as much of an amusement park atmosphere, but it felt much more like the holidays.

What We Did

Cowboys v. Giants: This is really the main reason we went. My son has become a huge Cowboys fan, despite their play on the field, and it felt like a bucket list moment to go to Jerry World on Thanksgiving. The Cowboys won, which improved the atmosphere, but the stadium is the real star. Having been to dozens of sporting events and venues across the country, I can say without doubt that AT&T is the most amazing stadium in which I have ever watched a game. It doesn’t have the character of a Wrigley or Green Bay, but it a remarkable achievement.

ICE!: The Gaylord puts together multiple Christmas activities for all ages. We went indoor sledding, ice skating met with Santa. The best thing we did, though, is an exhibit called ICE! where the creator makes elaborate ice sculptures and scenes from beloved Christmas stories. At the Gaylord in Grapevine, the theme was Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and they did an awesome job. I do suggest that if you plan to partake, you dress warmly, including gloves. You will be provided with a parka, but it is just about 9 degrees, so layers definitely help.

Visit Oklahoma (and the Eiffel Tower): In order to spend time with some of my wife’s extended family, we also drove to Paris, TX. Paris is less than two hours from Dallas, and less than 20 minutes from Oklahoma. This was the second time that I have been to Oklahoma, and it was the same trip, right across the border, both times. I would love to spend more time in the Sooner State, as there appear to be some great things to do, but this checks the list for the kids. Paris also boasts its own Eiffel Tower, complete with cowboy hat. If you’re in the area, it is a can’t miss.

Thanksgiving is a great kick-off to the holiday season, and if I had the chance to spend it at the Gaylord again, I would. I recommend making dinner and breakfast reservations on nights when you know your plans in advance and bringing layers for the winter adventures, and it’ll be a great time.

Next up for the Traveling Igoes, a Christmas visit to St. Louis. It will likely not be accompanied by a blog post, but you never know. Moving into 2025, we’ve got a lot on the menu, including a trip to the Bahamas and to Michigan, but first, for Mardi Gras, we’ll be hitting up the elusive Virgin Islands National Park. Check back soon…

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Great Basin, Great Vacation

This year for Fall Break, we decided to head back to Nevada (our third time this year) to explore one of the country’s lesser visited National Parks, Great Basin. The park is over four hours from Vegas and three hours from Salt Lake. Flights being what they were, we flew into LAS, rented a car and headed north.

Aside from the travel arrangements, another reason we flew into Las Vegas was that Cathedral Gorge State Park is on the drive up. In the west, one must keep in mind that there are a plethora of state parks, some as impressive as their National Park neighbors.

What We Did

Cathedral Gorge State Park: we drove up Friday night and hit the park the next morning. We only spent about four hours there, which was enough, and it was a great four hours.

The Juniper Draw Loop is just over 3 miles and is one of the most popular trails in the park. If you plan to do the whole thing, I recommend going clockwise, as this saves all the best parts for the end.

If you are not wanting to do the whole hike, you can go clockwise and just go up to Miller Point, which is a steep climb offering great views of the park. You can also drive straight to the overlook, if you are not interested in the walk.

I also recommend, on this end of the loop, Cathedral Caves. While the ‘caves’ in Cathedral Gorge are actually slot canyons, they are really cool, and our kids loved climbing through them.

If you liked the Cathedral Caves, I strongly recommend the Moon Caves. This is a slightly different area with equally impressive slot canyons. There were a few areas that only my kids could fit into, which they found really exciting (and Alyson and I found really nerve wracking). Both Eileen and JR said this was their favorite part of our entire trip.

Great Basin National Park

Visitors Center: Great Basin has two VCs, Lehman and GB, and I recommend visiting both. The Lehman VC has an attached cafe with a much better gift shop attached.

Astronomy Program: Great Basin is a certified dark sky park, so people flock from all around to check out the star. We went to a ranger led program that was great. The skies were amazing, and one of the telescopes showed Saturn clear to the point that the rings were actually visible through the lens. It is a later night, and it was hard for our four year-old to sit through, but it was worth it.

Wheeler Scenic Drive: This drive up the mountain takes you past several great overlooks, including one of Nevada’s only glacier, and goes by most of the trails you will want to hike. It is also a good way to see all the changing leaves if you are there at the right time.

Alpine Lakes Loop: This 3-ish mile loop is at the termination of Wheel Drive and is one of the park’s most popular. We went counterclockwise, but I didn’t really see a lot of advantages to one way or the other. Frankly, I wasn’t as impressed with this hike as I had hoped. It goes by two alpine lakes, but at this time of year, my daughter suggested they were more like alpine ponds. It was a good trek but not particularly mind blowing.

If you don’t have young kids and/or are feeling like you need more, the Bristlecone Pine and Glacier Trails branch of the loop, but they add a lot of extra mileage.

Lehman Caves: This was my favorite part of our trip. We took a guided, 60 minute tour that revealed all sorts of great features in this living cave. I love a good cave, and this might be my favorite that we’ve toured in a National Park.

Strawberry Creek Road: To access this, you have to leave the park and drive north, then follow a dirt road back in. We were the only people for miles, which was pretty fantastic. At the end of the road, we did a 1-mile loop that goes along Strawberry Creek. This was a nice trail, but again, not all that amazing, except that we saw a family of deer, including a 10-point buck, which made it all worthwhile.

Where We Stayed

Swallow Cove B&B: There aren’t a lot of options to stay near Cathedral Gorge, which is why this place was such a pleasant surprise. We had a great room with plenty of space for five, and homemade breakfast in the morning. One of the best amenities was the key-less entry. We arrive late, so the host simply texted us the instructions. We had a completely contact-free check-in and check-out.

Hidden Canyon Retreat: This place is fantastic. There are also few lodging options for Great Basin, and this one is actually the further of the two. That said, it appeared to be the far better choice. The approach is a 6-mile dirt road, but once you’ve done it once, it is far less daunting. The room was great with a fully functioning kitchen. We bought supplies and cooked dinner both nights in our room. There’s a heated pool, a hot tub, several grills, a convenience store and several friendly animals (including a 5-point buck). Recently, our best experiences have been the ones where we really liked our lodging, and Hidden Canyon did not disappoint.

Where We Ate

Historic Silver Cafe: On the way out of Cathedral Gorge, we stopped at the Silver Cafe, the older cafe in Nevada. The food was decent, and they were showing college football, so it was a good experience. If there were other options, and it wasn’t historic, I am not sure we would’ve stopped, but there was nothing significant about which to complain.

Sugar, Salt & Malt: We ate here for lunch on Saturday, and it was solid. We all got sandwiches that hit the spot, and everyone was very friendly. The dinner menu looked interesting, but due to staffing issues, they were only open for lunch during our stay. There was also a note about the owners selling the establishment, but it was not clear whether that is a recent development or has already happened. Whether or not it is there when you go, I can’t say for sure. There are not a lot of options for food in Great Basin, so do your research and plan ahead.

Able Baker Brewing: This brewery is actually in Vegas, and is where we stopped for lunch on Monday before boarding a plane. I thought it was great, one of my favorite recent breweries. There were several food options that the whole family loved, and a plethora of beers. Whether or not you’re going to Great Basin, if you want a break from the Strip part of Vegas, this is cool spot.

Overall, Great Basin was a great trip, and Cathedral Gorge was a great addition. That said, I do not think I would put it in my top 10 National Parks. If you are looking for stunning scenery, breathtaking waterfalls and great trails with hidden wonders, this probably isn’t the park for you. That said, I do think that of Mammoth Cave, Wind Cave and Carlsbad Caverns, GBNP has my favorite cave system. If you are looking for seclusion, wide open spaces and a crystal clear night sky, then look no further.

Next up for the Traveling Igoes, we’re headed to Dallas for Thanksgiving to see Alyson’s family. We were able to get tickets to the Cowboys game, and I couldn’t be more excited. Whether you’re a Dallas fan or not, if you’re a football fa, Cowboys on Thanksgiving should be on your bucket list.